Cool Web Sites: HotPads.com

If you’re in the market for a new rental, HotPads.com could be your next favorite bookmark.

John Fitzpatrick, Douglas Pope, and Matt Corgan, three DC housemates who recently graduated from Notre Dame, founded HotPads, an online rental listings firm, in 2005. According to the Washington Business Journal, the company just received $2 million from a venture capital firm and are moving from its former headquarters—an apartment—to offices in Dupont Circle.

The site, which superimposes rental listings on interactive maps, offers a few useful search options. Click on “Map Search” to see a map of the Washington area, complete with population data and median rent prices. You can even read Wikipedia articles about neighborhoods, view aerial photos, and see graphs of pricing trends.

Click on a neighborhood at the bottom of the map and you’ll get a tight view of the area with icons of types of rentals, from large apartment buildings to single-family homes. Clicking on an icon brings up pictures and statistics like price, amenities, and lease terms. You can narrow the search by price, size of building, type of listing (including sublets and shares), or address. If something catches your eye, click on “Points of Interest” to show nearby Metro stations, public and private schools, and colleges.

And if you need to find someone to take your old place, HotPads can help. It’s free to post a listing.